With the start of 2024, all eyes will be lying on the upcoming superstars who are eager to make an impact on the tennis world. One among them will be the young American prodigy, Ben Shelton. The year 2023 saw the rise of the 20-year-old with one of his breakthrough performances coming at the US Open, where he managed to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament.

However, deep behind his journey as a professional star is a story of hard work, dedication, and the will to become the best. Reflecting on the same, Ben Shelton’s former college teammate reveals the drastic changes that the young prodigy underwent. His journey to stardom required a lot of hard work.

Ben Shelton’s college teammate reflects on the drastic change that the 20YO underwent

Shelton’s college teammate shares an exciting story about Ben Shelton’s growth as a tennis player. In the beginning, Shelton wasn’t seen as a strong player. He started as No. 5 in the singles lineup and his teammate used to beat him during practice matches.

But something changed in the summer of 2021. While others went home, Shelton stayed and practised hard with his dad for a whole month. This made a huge difference. He got faster, stronger, and became a much better player overall.

“At the start, when he joined, he wasn’t so good, and you couldn’t see the potential he has now,” said Andrade. “The first year he played as No. 5 [in the singles lineup]. Then No. 3. I always beat him in practice; I had all the tactics to beat him. “But then came the summer of 2021. He improved. His body helped. And there was a drastic change. We all said ‘What’s happened?’”

After that, Shelton became a different player. His teammate, who used to beat him easily, found it hard to win against him. Shelton’s speed, physical improvement, and excellent service made him stand out. His serve got even better with help from the team, making him a standout athlete.

“I could hardly ever beat him again. He got quick, grew, and matured very fast. He became an athlete. Since then he’s had everything. And his serve is the most special thing he has. He also improved it a lot with the team,” he further added.

Thus Ben Shelton underwent a remarkable change. From being someone who couldn’t beat his teammate to impressing everyone at the US Open earlier this year, the change was massive.

Also read: Big Brother Chris Eubanks Rushes to 20-Year-Old Ben Shelton’s Rescue as the Rising American Star Falls Prey to Unwarranted Public Hate

However, there was also a time when the young American prodigy did not even want to play tennis. It was his father who brought his love back to the game and made him a beast.

Shelton’s father revealed that he did not want to be a professional tennis player

Earlier in an interview, former ATP star Nicolas Pereira, who was also a close friend of Ben Shelton’s father revealed that Ben did not want to be a professional tennis player. His father used to tell Pereira stories of how disinterested Shelton was. However, with a change in time, things gradually started to change and he developed a love for the sport.

So much so, that he even made his way into the professional tennis scene and went ahead to stun everyone at the US Open. Thus, from being someone who did not like tennis at all to becoming an upcoming sensation, Ben Shelton, under the guidance of his father has come a long way. It is only time that will reveal how far he could make it through.

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